Princes and Princesses
by flamerider05
Summary: Bella has just discovered that she is heir to the throne. And she's going to need help running the kingdom. BellaxEdward
1. Chapter 1

It was twilight. Isabella Swan stared out her window in awe of the beautiful sky. She was seventeen with thick, brown hair and brown eyes. Her skin was extremely pale. All in all she wasn't all that extraordinary looking.

"Bella! Come down here, please!" her mother called.

Bella jerked back in shock. "C-coming, mother," she responded, heading toward her door. She carefully walked down the stairs. She almost tripped twice but managed to catch herself before any serious injuries occurred. She rounded a corner into the kitchen where her mother was washing some fruits.

"Mother?"

"Sweetheart… you know that Phillip isn't your… real father…" Bella nodded slowly. "Well… your real father… ehem… he didn't know… ehem… about… you and… umm… he just recently…" Renee coughed nerviously, "found out… about you… and well he… wants to… meet you…"

Bella stared at her mother for a long moment. "Umm… you want me… to meet this man? My father?"

"Well… we don't have much of an option. He is… sort of demanding that you meet him…"

Those particular words caught Bella off guard. "Demanding? Who has the right to demand to meet me? I mean unless he's the king." Bella laughed at her own joke… but her mother… didn't.

Bella gave her mother a weird look. "This is wehere you laugh and say 'that's ridiculous dear'. Why are you not laughting?"

"Well… when I was just barely eighteen I caught the eye of who was then the prince… now the king… and we… had an… ehem… affair for a while but… I eventually found out I had become pregnant and I was afraid that someone would do something in order to get rid of an illegitimate child of the heir to the throne… so I… broke it off with him and hid out until I gave birth. By that time my father had arranged for me to marry Phillip, who was willing o marry me despite you. Phillip has always considered you his child and I had managed until recently to keep you hidden from your real father. But last month at the market… he was there and he saw the two of us together. He asked some questions through his guards and found out your age. From there he did the math…"

"I see… so… why does he want to meet me?" Bella asked. She wasn't particularly panicked about her newly found royalty. Well, really, lack of royalty since she was illegitimate.

"I honestly don't know, darling. But you're meeting him tomorrow on the outskirts of he village… where no one can see you. I'll be close, so don't worry," Renee said gently.

Bella nodded carefully. "I'll… go…wash my hair…"

Renee smiled gently. "Thank you for not making a big fuss, darling. I know this must be a shock…"

"Just a bit… but it doesn't matter. What could it possibly change anyway? Everything will eventually go back to the way it was. Right?

***BREAK***

"Carlisle? I wasn't expecting you until next week," Charlie said as he looked at his old friend… well old didn't really describe Carlisle, but that wasn't the point.

"I know, Charlie, but some people found out the date we were traveling so we had to change the date. You know how that can be, I'm sure," Carlisle said in his perfect voice.

"Of course. And I see you've brought your family with you. Esme you haven't aged a day since I last saw you," Charlie said smiling.

"Thank you. It appears you are doing well also?" Esme murmured.

"Yes, verymuch thank you." Charlie reached out a hand toward the bronze haired young man to Carlisle's left. "How are you, Edward?"

"Fantastic," Edward said pleasantly. "Thanks for having us."

"Anytime, my boy." Charlie turned to the bear-like boy next to Edward. "Emmett, if I didn't know better I would say you've actually grown."

Emmett laughed boisterously. "Well I'm fairly certain _that_ didn't happen. Maybe you've shrunk, Charlie."

Charlie smiled. "Maybe." He looked at the gorgeous blonde who was at Emmett's side. "Of course I remember you, Rosalie. More beautiful than I remembered."

Rosalie smiled beautifully. "And getting more beautiful," her voice turned threatening. "Right, Emmet, darling?"

"Right, Rose," Emmett squeaked.

Charlie wandered over to the pair on Esme's right. "I don't think we've met."

Carlisle took over from there. "These are the newest additions to my family." He motioned to the pixie-like, black-haired girl, "And this is Alice."

"It's very nice to meet you, Jasper, Alice," Charlie said.

"It's nice to meet you too, Charlie," Alice said, smiling. "I'm sure we'll all get along quite well."

***BREAK***

**The Next Day**

"Charlie, where are you going so early?" Alice asked. She was perched up on a counter.

"To meet someone," Charlie responded.

"Your daughter?" Alice asked pleasantly as though she ought to know this information.

Charlie stopped short. "How did you know that?" he questioned suspiciously.

Alice smiled. "I saw her in a vision. Can I meet her later?"

Charlie stared at her for a long moment. "Come to the outskirts of town, west side in an hour and I'll introduce you," he relented. Alice took the information very well.

"Oh yay! Can I bring Edward?"

That caught Charlie off guard. "Well… I suppose, if Edward wants to come."

"Oh, he will," Alice chirped.

Charlie had always chosen not to ask about the special talents that seemed to plague the Cullen family but now he was beginning to wonder if he ought to ask a few more questions on the subject. He stepped out the doorway and set off to meet his daughter.

Isabella

***BREAK***

Bella sighed as she finished getting ready. She had gladly repressed all the ideas of what could go wrong but that didn't stop her from being a little nervous.

"Bella! You have fifteen minutes! Please don't be late!" Renee called.

Bella's repression couldn't stop Renee from being a lot nervous either, it appeared.

"Alright mom, I'm going now," Bella called. She ran out the door and walked quickly toward the designated meeting place.

She knew her mother would soon be as close as she could get the meeting place without causing any trouble.

Bella barely avoided running headlong into a tall, gorgeous, bronze haired boyu as she rounded the corner. And that was more him than her since her clumsiness didn't help her much in situations like this one.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Bella said, looking down because she discovered quickly that looking at him made it difficult to form coherent sentences.

When he didn't respond she looked up. He was staring at her incredulously with a hand over his nose and mouth.

"Are you alright?" she gasped, wondering if she had somehow run into him after all.

He nodded but his eyes closed tightly and he looked as though he was in immense agony.

The next instant Renee rounded the corner followed by Mike, who was obviously pestering her about Bella.

Mike's eyes widened almost as much as Renee's did when they saw Bella standing only inches away from the bronze haired young man.

Mike was the first to respond. "Hey! Who are you?" he demanded. "Get away from her!"

The boy's golden eyes shot open and he turned a full force glare on Mike.

"I," he said, removing his hand from his mouth, "am Edward Cullen. And you," he gave Mike a reproachful look, "have the most annoying voice I've ever heard."

Renee barely fought down a chuckle and Bella didn't even try to fight the fit of giggles that Edward's statement had sent her into.

Mike, angry about being made a fool of, immediately retaliated. "Who do you think you are? You're not so great! Stay away from Bella!" he ordered.

"Bella?" Edward murmured thoughtfully. "As in Isabella? Are you Charlie's daughter?"

Mike obviously didn't get it but Renee and Bella both froze. "How did you know that?" Bella whispered.

Edward shrugged. "I hear more than the average person. You should hurry or you'll be late."

Bella jumped slightly at the realization. "Thanks, Edward," she shouted as she ran by him.

She made it just seconds before Charlie arrived.

***BREAK***

A/N: Okay, so this is my first Twilight ff. Please comment. Tell me what you think and such. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Charlie stared at the young Renee look alike. He scanned her for any resemblance to him. He found it when she took one step and almost tripped over her own two feet. That certainly wasn't a Renee thing.

The realization made him chuckle.

Thinking her was laughing at her clumsiness made Bella's cheeks turn bright red.

"Maybe you are my daughter, after all. Two left feet runs in my family," he explained.

"Your highness," Bella said, "may I be blunt?"

"Charlie and yes."

"Why did you want to meet me?"

"Because, unless you have a twin, you are the only child I've sired. I potentially could name you as my heir."

Bella stared blankly at him. Then she burst out laughing. "Oh… oh… for a second I thought you were serious…" she laughed harder.

"I was."

Bella's laughter ceased abruptly. "Charlie, I am not ruler material. I was raised like all the other common people. I _follow_ orders. I can't give them…"

"Isabella," Charlie stated, "I don't expect you to do that on you own. Your husband will help you."

"I'm not married or engaged. And you can call me Bella."

"Bella," Charlie tested. "That's all the better, I'll find a husband that can take care of you."

Bella froze. "That's not your job," she whispered.

"If you're to be my heir it is. But don't worry I won't _make_ you marry anyone. I'll just set up options for you that you otherwise might not have had."

Bella thought on the arrangement and upon realizing that one, he was entirely serious about naming her his heir and two, she didn't really have any arguing points, she nodded slowly. "That could work, I suppose."

Charlie smiled. "Now then, have you eaten yet? I brought food."

Bella forced herself to smile. Obviously things were going to change more than she originally thought.

***BREAK***

"Has it been an hour?" Alice questioned.

"No," everyone stated boredly.

"You can leave in ten minutes," Jasper soothed. Soothing waves rushed through the entire room.

At that moment a panicked Edward ran through the door. "Alice, I'm not going with you. Go alone and be warned Bella Swan smells like heaven."

His family looked at him, shocked. "You ran into her?" Carlisle questioned.

"Yes and she's lucky to have made it to her meeting with Charlie," Edward snapped. "I've never felt more like a vampire than I did when I smelled her."

"Nice control then," Alice complemented. "But you should come and desensitize yourself to her. Besides Edward, she's practically part of the family."

"No," Edward stated threateningly.

"Actually," Carlisle said calmly. "Alice is right, Edward. With Bella being so close… it might be better if you got desensitized to her."

Everyone in the room knew this was the final ruling. They were well aware of whom the father was, the king was.

No one expected Rosalie's rage.

"No! It would be better if she died than to let her in. Do you think she'll miss the fact that we're inhuman if she's that close to us? Carlisle, please… don't let her in…"

"That's what you said about Charlie, too," Carlisle said. "And he comes pretty close to knowing at the very least. It's never been a problem with him."

"But she's not going to be thinking of alliances," Rosalie insisted.

"Neither is Charlie," Edward broke in, ignoring that he was really digging himself into a hole. "And he knows what we are; he just doesn't realize it yet. He notices that we never eat, that we never sleep, and that we all have aversions to blood. He thinks the word vampire and then pushes it away because we're his friends."

"And... what does his daughter think of you?" Esme asked.

"There's another thing," Edward murmured. "I don't' know what she's thinking. If it weren't for the formation of sentences I would believe she didn't think."

"Well at least someone gets some privacy from you," Emmett laughed.

"You two should go," Carlisle said. "Or you'll both be late."

Edward sighed resignedly and followed a skipping Alice out the door.

"Don't worry, Edward," Alice said happily. "You aren't going to hurt her."

Edward held to that thought for dear life.

***BREAK***

Bella took a bite out of a fruit that was fairly foreign to her. It was sweet and really juicy.

"We've been here an hour now," Charlie said thoughtfully.

As he said those words Bella saw a pixie-like girl come skipping toward them. Behind the pixie came Edward, even more gorgeous than she had initially realized.

"It's been an hour!" the pixie said happily. "You said we could meet your daughter now!" then her expressions darkened. "But Edward cheated he ran into her in town."

Charlie's eyes widened slightly. "I hadn't realized you two had already met," he said. He looked from Edward to Bella.

"Not formally," Edward said.

"Ah well," Charlie said. "Bella these are Alice and Edward Cullen."

"I see," Bella said looking between the two gorgeous teens. "It's very nice to meet you."

"I'm so glad to meet you, Bella," Alice chirped. "We'll be great friends, you and I. And I'll even introduce you to my Jasper, if you promise to not flirt with him. I don't like competition." All of this was said in the same happy tone.

Bella blinked twice. "Alright…"

"Now you've done it," Edward sighed.

"Oh goody! We'll do all kinds of things together. We'll have all kinds of fun adventures. Rosalie isn't any fun. She won't do things with me. She's too busy with Emmett. Emmett this, Emmett that. It gets terribly dull." Alice sniffed Bella delicately. "Bella, you smell nice, what perfume are you wearing?"

"…I'm… not wearing perfume," Bella said awkwardly.

"Wow… then you must always smell nice. Are you going to come the palace? You really must meet everyone before we have to return to Volturra. We'll be seeing quite a bit of each other, I believe," Edward said. He smiled crookedly at Bella.

Bella stared at him in a daze for a moment. "That's nice," she managed.

Charlie looked between the two of them carefully. "Alice, what am I missing?"

"I… don't know," Alice said. "But whatever it is… it's absolutely adorable!" Her eyes went blank as a vision washed over her.

The vision ended and Alice waited patiently for Edward to respond. After several moments she realized Edward was focused so intently on Bella that he hadn't noticed what her vision was of. It was then she realized he was trying to get around the block in Bella's mind so he would know what she was thinking.

"If we're going to take Bella to the palace, now would be good," Charlie said, breaking Edward's intent focus.

"My mom would probably want to know," Bella whispered, still slightly dazed by the full force of Edward's eyes.

"I'll tell her!" Alice exclaimed, skipping off without waiting for an okay from anyone.

Bella blinked slowly. Before she could come to terms with what had just happened Edward was at her side. She looked at him, surprised at how gorgeous he was up close.

He offered his arm to her, "May I?" he murmured.

Her eyes widened slightly but she nodded carefully and took his arm. His skin was colder than she expected. Like ice instead of skin but somehow it made her feel more comfortable.

They walked off toward the palace. They ran into Alice coming out of a market with Renee.

"Alice?" Bella murmured.

"Hmm?" Alice asked. Renee was looking at Bella in shock. Her eyes occasionally wandered over to Edward but would quickly return to Bella when Edward glanced at her.

"How did you know who my mom was?"

"You look just like her," Alice explained cheerfully. "I saw her in the market and thought, 'It's like Bella only older.' I knew then that she had to be your mom."

Renee smiled believingly, but Bella still stared skeptically Edward noted her expression and quickly caught her attention by asking a question and smiling. His attempt at diversion worked perfectly. Bella got the same dazed expression on her face that she had earlier.

"Umm… could you repeat the question?" she finally managed. Edward smiled crookedly.

"Was that boy who yelled at me earlier you fiancée?"

Bella made a horrified face. "No! Never! Not even in a million years!" she exclaimed.

"Mike is quite a character," Renee agreed. "That girl Jessica has her hands full with him, I'm sure."

"Actually, Edward," Charlie mentioned, "Bella tells me she isn't engaged." The suggestion was clear. _Please consider Bella_ practically hung in the air.

Alice smiled. "Bella, are you interested in anyone? I could help you."

Blood flooded mercilessly to Bella's cheeks. "I… I… That is…"

Edward became as stiff as a board. Luckily only Alice noticed.

Renee simply sighed. "Bella has several guy friends but she sees them all like brothers."

"Aww… and I wanted to dress her up like a doll, too," Alice complained. "Guess I'll just have to do so for no reason then!"

Bella's eyes widened in horror.

Edward smiled. "If you run, she'll catch you. If you hide, she'll find you. If you fight, she'll overpower you. If you go along willingly, no one gets hurt."

"Fine," Bella whimpered.

"But if you ask," he continued. "I'll protect you."

"Edward!" Alice shrieked. "That's not fair!" Bella's cheeks heated up rapidly.

"It isn't fair to leave her to your devices either," Edward said. "Today I'm not on your side."

"You can't be with her everywhere. Eventually you'll leave her side for one reason or another and I'll be there." Alice warned.

"We'll see," Edward said with a confident smirk. "But I'll know what you're planning."

"I'll know when you're leaving." Both glared at each other for a moment.

"Regardless," Charlie said, clearing his throat. "We were heading to the palace to show Bella around."

Renee's eyes widened slightly and Bella could practically see her mother's rising panic.

"We'll have her back, safe and sound by twilight," Edward said with a smile. Renee stared at him, disoriented by his beauty. She nodded slowly after giving Bella a quick glance.

"It was nice meeting you, Renee," Alice called as she skipped off. Charlie followed her with less enthusiasm. Edward led Bella forward carefully making sure to keep her balanced.

"Bye, mom," Bella called. She caught a glance of Renee waving as she walked away on Edward's arm.

"My poor mother," Bella said once they were out of her mother's earshot."

Edward glanced at her in confusion.

"You shouldn't go dazzling people like that," Bella accused lightly. "They'll hyperventilate."

"Dazzle?" Edward said thoughtfully. "Do I dazzle people?"

"Did you not _see_ the effects you had on my mother? She didn't even have enough sense about her to refuse the prospect of me going to the palace. You shouldn't be allowed to smile and look someone in the eyes at the same time."

Edward smiled pleasantly. "Do I dazzle you?" he questioned.

"Since I ran into you this morning," Bella admitted.

Edward smiled. He was strong enough to be in her company, regardless of how good she smelled… He had to be.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bella stared at the richly decorated interior of the palace. She was too dazed by everything sparkling that she could scarcely move. If it weren't for Edward's hand on the small of her back she wouldn't be moving at all.

She stumbled slightly over a step and several young ladies giggled. But Bella noted the jealously that plagued their faces when they saw Edward, who had wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her.

About that time a tall, blonde guy swept down the stairs. He stopped a step away from Alice, looking at her intently.

Noting the confusion on her face, Edward explained. "That's Jasper, Alice's husband."

"Oh," Bella said. She turned toward Charlie who suddenly stopped talking. She turned her gaze toward where he was staring. There was a long moment of silence.

"Who are they?" she whispered, still staring at the huge group of men.

"It appears word got out that Charlie had a daughter. Those are your suitors," Edward replied lightly. "No big deal, they'll leave if they're told."

"When will that happen?" Bella murmured.

"Oh, they'll leave for good once you're spoken for," Edward replied.

"You must be joking. That could take forever!" Bella exclaimed.

"I doubt that. Charlie will make sure that you're taken care of. And I'll make sure they don't bother you too much."

Bella looked at him gratefully. "Thank you."

Edward gave her a crooked smile causing her cheeks to heat up rapidly.

At about that point Alice cut in. "Bella, this is my husband Jasper."

"Nice to meet you," Bella said. She didn't question the fact that he stayed so far away from her.

"Likewise," Jasper stated shortly. He never averted his gaze from Alice. Bella noted he looked pained.

Bella looked up the staircase and found herself staring at an angelic blonde man. He made his way down the stairs gracefully. Upon reaching the bottom he smiled kindly at her.

"Ah, so this must be Bella," he said. Bella nodded mutely, a bit terrified by the crowd of gorgeous people surrounding her on all sides.

Edward saw her reaction and took it on himself to begin introductions.

"Bella, this is my father, Carlisle."

Bella looked at him and blinked then turned back to Carlisle. She did this three times. "Father?" she repeated. "Really? How old _are_ you, Edward? Or… how old is he?"

"I am 17," Edward said shrugging. "And Carlisle is 35. Of course, he isn't really my father, but he adopted me _years_ ago."

"Oh," Bella said. Suddenly the young appearance of Edward's 'father' made a lot more sense.

"I'm glad to see my son and you are getting along so well," Carlisle said. He turned to Charlie, "There is a matter I must speak with you on immediately, please, Charlie."

Charlie nodded and walked away. "Edward, make sure nothing happens to Bella," he called, eyeing the suitors as he walked by them.

"Of course," Edward said. He also looked at Bella's many suitors out of his peripheral vision.

Alice turned sharply and glared at one of the many suitors. Her lips curled up into a half sneer and Edward, who was staring at the same person, let a low snarl escape his lips.

Bella turned toward both of them in shock. "Is something wrong? What did I miss?" she questioned.

"A lot," Jasper said. "But don't worry, you're not the only one, I missed most of it too."

Bella nodded slowly. "And what exactly was 'it'?" she asked.

"I can't be entirely certain, but apparently Alice and Edward both think he was going to do something very… horrific. I, personally, never bet against Alice." His sudden talkativeness, Bella realized was to distract her from whatever was going on.

The glared at suitor apparently didn't get the message. He walked over, tailed by two shorter, bulkier guys, obviously trying to look cool.

"So, you're King Charlie's daughter. It's a pleasure to meet you," the guy held a hand out to her. Bella looked helplessly from the guy, to Edward, and finally to Alice before holding her hand out to the guy.

The guy took her hand and kissed it. When he had finished this process he smiled seductively at her.

"I would be glad to show you around, your majesty," he murmured.

Bella stared at him, trying to hide her horror.

"That's fine," Edward intervened, "I'm already showing her."

The guy turned and, though it was obvious his original intention was to glare at Edward, he flinched at the obvious death glare Edward had leveled on him.

His friends stepped forward defensively. Bella realized in a moment of horror that some sort of fight was about to take place. She was about to interfere when Charlie and Carlisle re-entered the room.

Bella sighed in relief when the guy sulked back to the larger group.

"Bella, I must speak with you privately," Charlie said. Bella nodded and followed him off, wondering if the creepy guy had given up for good.

She didn't have much time to look into it before Charlie was speaking to her.

"As I told you earlier," he started, "I intend to help you find a husband." Bella nodded, a bit confused. "There are very few people I trust enough for the job, after all, I want someone who will take care of you." Again Bella nodded. "So, if you would please consider Edward it would relieve a lot of my nerves." Bella stared at him barely comprehending.

"Edward…" Bella couldn't think of what to say. What girl in her right mind wouldn't want to marry Edward? He was the guy every girl dreamed of and cried over when they realized he wasn't real.

Charlie waited nervously for her response.

"Umm… isn't that up to him?" Bella asked suddenly. "I could consider him forever and if he isn't interested it wouldn't do any good." She paused, waiting for a response but realized she hadn't really answered the question. "But," she amended. "I will consider him."

Charlie sighed gratefully. "I'm glad. Edward is best suited for your protection."

Bella stared at him, coming to a sudden realization. He was acting like a father. Like he was her father, even though he had only just discovered that she existed. It was a bit strange but somehow it was also very natural.

Bella sighed. It was unfortunate that Edward would never consider her. Throne or no throne she was too plain.

There were a few moments of silence before Charlie led Bella back to where Edward and Carlisle were. Alice and Jasper had vanished for the moment.

As they re-entered Bella's suitors threw up a ruckus. They crowded around her and Charlie asking for her hand the entire time.

Bella's eyes widened a fraction and she stumbled backwards slightly.

This was the first time Bella would ever see Charlie become a ruler.

"**SILENCE!"** he snarled. Immediately the room became quiet. Bella felt herself trembling and tears began welling up in her eyes because there were just so _many_ of them.

And then Edward was between the crowd and her. He was turned away from her but from the appearance of the crowd gave the impression that they were highly intimidated. Then again Charlie was being intimidating too so perhaps she couldn't judge Edward's appearance from that.

"Edward," Charlie said darkly. "Take Bella elsewhere."

Nothing else was said. Edward's arm went around her waist and he swept her out of the room.

At about that point the water works started up.

A soft sob escaped her lips before she could stop it. Edward led her into a room where there didn't appear to be anyone. Bella vaguely felt Edward push her into a sitting position.

"They won't hurt you," Edward comforted calmly. He gently rubbed her back as she cried. She covered her face with her hands because she didn't want him to see her red, watery eyes or her redder than usual face.

Edward sighed and she felt him take a deep breath before his arms surrounded her and pulled her against his chest.

Eventually her tears stopped and her sobs died down. She didn't move and he didn't release her.

"Are you alright, now?" Edward murmured. Bella nodded against his chest, feeling embarrassed that she had shown so much emotion in front of him.

He released her carefully after a long moment. She kept her face hidden by her hands.

"This will probably sound fairly random, but, you have really soft hair," Edward said.

Bella looked up then. She stared at him in shock for a long moment. "I… what?" she said, unable to comprehend what he was saying to her.

Edward smiled gently. He reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Would you mind too terribly…" he said thoughtfully, "If I… kissed you?"

Bella's eyes widened slightly. "I wouldn't mind…" she whispered finally.

Edward smiled at her again. "You seem unsure of your answer," he noted. "If you would rather I didn't then just say so."

"I-it's not that!" Bella denied. She blushed and mumbled, "I've just never been kissed… before…"

Edward stared at her clearly confused. "And that makes you uncomfortable?" he paused. "You are really a mystery to me. I can't decide if you really want me to proceed or not." Bella opened her mouth to respond but stopped.

"Perhaps," he paused, "if I asked differently you would be clearer. So, Isabella," Bella jerked at her given name, not expecting to hear it. "Will you marry me?"

The answer came before her mind ad fully absorbed the question.

"Yes."

A/N: umm... SURPRISE!!! I guess... anyway, please R&R! And if anyone has any questions about anything in my story please feel free to mention it in a review and I'll try to answer it in the next chapter or something...


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